BabyGotBack

South Beach is a lower fat protein program, but you can have something higher in fat if in a crunch.

Just checkin in!!! I am doing good. I have been having coffee for breakfast and a protein for lunch and dinner. I do get full on less and stay full. I just feel a gentle pressure inmy stomach when full but no pain or pb. I will weigh in on Friday. How are you all?

Did you find it worked your abs and lower body?

No problem! I took it to help with hunger and energy. I have lost pretty well for a lower bmi, but I think they really help me.

That sounds like a really good explanation. Thanks!:clap2:

I would recomment seeing an herbalist or alternative medicine specialist. I have a chinese herbalist I see and they seem to have herbs to take care of everything. Hope you get better.

My mom just gave me one and I just wondered if it was any good. Did it help you lose and tone? How is it best used? I had read it made your fore arms sore and didn't give a good workout, but it seems like it would. Thanks for your replies!!!

Yeah, that is what it is! What do you think about it?

I just couldn't resist responding to this thread. Why can't we just leave people and their beliefs alone. I personally just ignore fanatics believers or not. It is annoying from both sides. I come here for support for the band not to try to convert people to my beliefs. Why can't we just relate to each others as fellow human beings who got banded? In the words of Rodney King "Can't we all just get along?" I personally accept and don't judge anyone. I don't lump all unbelievers into a category and assume they are all the same. As I expect not to be categorized either. I am an individual. I am a Christian who loves all people. I have people in my family that I love that are gay, atheist, into witchcraft, etc. I can love them even if I don't neccesarily believe like they do. :faint: Not all Christians are fanatics trying to push their beliefs down peoples throats.

Thanks for the replies! I am feeling more restriction and couldn't eat today due to stress. I felt like my stomach was being squeezed! It felt so weird but I notice it happens each time I stress out. Like a cramp. I am definitely eating less, feeling fuller faster and staying full. I LOVE IT!

I think I did it to taste, sometimes I wanted it sweeter and would use like 1/4 a cup or so. It is super satisfying and is like a flan type cheesecake. YUMMY

I went to a chinese herbalist and he gave me a shampoo with aloe vera and garlic. It does not smell bad and I am not losing hair. I used to lose normally everytime I washed my hair and now am not. I also take very good liquid vitamins and Biotin.

I am taking QuickSlim30 and love it!

I didn't exercise on Friday or the weekend. I need to start up again on Monday. My mom just gave me a new piece of exercise equiptment and I am looking forward to using it! I don't know what it is called, but you sit on it like a bike and pull on this bar. Your pelvis pushes forward. It is supposed to work out your lower body real good. Anyone know what it is called or have one? Do you like it?

Hi!! You are from the December thread! I was supposed to be banded in December and started up with you guys! But I ended up being banded in January. I am doing really well on the Beach especially for a Lower BMI or so I am told. It helps with my cravings too! If I do get a sweet tooth, I eat sugar free Fudgesicles. Hits the spot! I just also got my first fill and restriction is finally kicking in 1 1/2 weeks later. I think 2 pounds a week even on South Beach is more doable, but you probably will lose more in the first 2 weeks. Glad to have you! I also find daily support helps or else I fall off the Beach. I need you guys!

You are so lucky that your doctor gives these instructions. I have lost very well and I know it has to do with doing the South Beach diet. I love it!!! I would love to get a little group going to support each other daily, post our food and exercise. :clap2:

I have them on the beginning of this thread. they are sooo good. Just make sure to get the smoothest ricotta and put it in the food processor to make smooth.

Isnt is awesome to be free from the bondage food had us in? I love it!

Hey Bandiva! How are you doing? I have more restriction than I did which is good. I was a little tense today and felt like my stomach was cramping shut so I didn't eat. I had a small dinner and was satisfied.

I used Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, Lindora, Atkins, South Beach. Welcome to the group!

Congrats!!!!:clap2: :clap2:

I will also come into agreement with you.

Hi!!! Welcome to Lapbandtalk! You will get awesome support here!!!

:bump2: :bump2: :bump2:

Got this from another site I belong to. The woman who wrote this is extremely knowledgable. Increase Your Chances of a Good Fill > > The following suggestions are good rules of thumb and will greatly > increase your chances of getting a good fill. > > 1. Be sure you are very well hydrated when you come in for your fill > appointment. That means at least 8-10 full glasses of liquid every > day for at least several days before the fill. > (You really need this amount at all times anyway). > > Drink especially well the morning of the fill. If you're flying in, > it can be much harder to stay hydrated, so take a drink bottle and > drink very often! Those little "to-go" packs of Crystal Lite are > ideal - ask the flight attendants for a refill of your water bottle, > pop one in, and then you will have plenty to drink. Those little 4- oz > cups of liquid they give you during flight are useless. > > (Hint - While you're on the plane, also take home a couple of those > white barf bags – > good to keep one in your purse or car, both now and later, > for "emergencies".) > > 2. Be sure not to have any solid foods for at least 6 hours before > the fill. Don't eat a huge or late dinner the night before. If you're > having any trouble (reflux, possible slip, etc) > please have nothing but fluids after dinner the night before. > In some cases, food can still be in the pouch for 12 or more hours. > ANY food in the pouch will make it impossible to give a good fill, or > get a good fluoro > > 3. Don't drink COLD fluids for an hour before the fill. That will > shrink your stoma and give a false fluoro reading, and a poor fill. > Room temp fluids are fine. Let the ice in your drink bottle melt and > hour before a fill, > and then you'll have room-temp fluids to drink right up to the fill > time. > > 4. Avoid getting a fill during a menstrual period or a few days > before an expected one. During this time, we are usually retaining > water, and the fluoro will not be as accurate, and the fill will not > be either. > > 5. If at all possible, hang around for at least a few hours after a > fill. Don't run right back home or to the plane. It takes the normal > swelling after a fill 1-2 hours to develop, and by that time you > might be too tight and need to come right back. > > 6. If at all possible, stay overnight and catch a plane out the > following late afternoon or evening. If you are too tight, this will > allow time to get a small unfill before you leave. This is not very > convenient, but sure beats having to possibly return to TJ in a few > days, on short notice, in pain, and at high last-minute plane fares! > This is "prevention!" Overfills are not common, but they DO happen, > even under the best of conditions. Be prepared, and think about this > overnight stay. > > 7. After a fill, please have liquids only for at least 24 hrs. This > allows the stoma to rest and heal. Then, a day of soft foods, then > back to regular foods. > > 8. Review the eating and food guidelines again before every fill. > You'll need to refine your eating more and more with higher fill > levels, and there will be less and less room for goofs. As you reach > a higher fill level, you'll no longer be able to "get away" with > things you might have before! > > 9. Please don't get a fill if you are having ANY trouble with the > current level of fill. This means ANY regular pain, PB or barfing > more than maybe once a week at the VERY most, not able to get enough > calories in, not able to drink enough, able to eat only soft foods or > fluids. > More fill will NOT help, and will make things worse. Discuss all > this carefully with your doc. You may even need an UNFILL, to keep > your band and stomach safe. > > 10. First fills are not routinely given at 6-8 weeks - but only as > you need them. Many people do, some do not. We'll help you decide if > you need a fill - just ask. There is no rush for fills. Too much can > very easily get you in trouble, and you end up further "behind" than > if you had gone slower with fills. > > 11. Give a fill at least 2-3 weeks to test it. Some fills > don't "settle in" for a week or two, and sometimes more. Your weigth > loss is what determines how a fill is - not any feeling of > restriction, necessarily. > > 12. One of the most impt things in determining if a fill is good is > choosing proper band foods. Soft foods, liquids, junk foods, sweets, > etc will NEVER be well-resticted, and will never tell a thing about > having a good fill or not. Only solid foods give useful info. > A good test meal is 2-4 oz of solid meat or chicken - be sure it's > soft and moist - and about 1/2 cup veggies. You should be able to eat > about a cup of food (no less) and this should keep you satisfied > (NOT "FULL", but simply "satisfied, not physically hungry". for about > 3-4 hrs. > > 13. Plan regular meals. A good fill will keep you satisfied for 3-4 > hrs, but no longer. If you are hungry 5 hrs after kunch, it is not > becuase you have an inadequate fill! Reular meals aty planned times > are important for a number of reasons, including avoiding snacking, > maximizing calorie burn 9which = wt loss) and normalizing metabolism, > which is essential for wt maintanace later on. > > Please remember that good fills are very elusive, even with highly- > experienced docs and fill people. There are just too many individual > factors involved that the docs cannot control. Even the fluoro is > only a clue, and not entirely accurate - for some of the reasons > above. > > It usually takes 3- 5 fills to slowly and safely creep up on a good > level, and they can be safely given a month apart. > Trying to go faster with a bigger fill is not the solution, and the > stomach rebels at big sudden fills. The goal of th first few fills > is NOT to achieve a good resticrion, but to gradually get your > stomach used to some pressure so you can tolerate a GOOD fill later. > > SLOW and GRADUAL is the key! > Going slowly with fills can be frustrating, but is well worth the > wait to avoid problems. > > Sandy R > at goal x 3+ yrs